Chapter Text
Here is the very last part of this insanely long one-shot. God, imagine if I had tried to cram all of this into one chapter? I forgot all about it, otherwise I would have posted this sooner.
No, the sequel is still not written. I suck. Sorry. But there's only one more Loki Month prompt to go, and then I'll get back to working on In Places Deep.
Words: 2,068
Epilogue
Sparkle IV
Middle-Earth, Lothlorien. January 2000.
It was silent in the forests of Lothlorien. The trees neither shook their branches or leaves, and the Elves did not sing nor dance. Instead, there was simply silence.
Lady Galadriel smiled to herself, a faint uplifting at the edges of her mouth. Her mate waited patiently beside her, his hands clasped behind his back. Around them, in many different groups, stood Elves. They were dressed in their finest, long robes and tight, brightly coloured tunics with leggings of doeskin. Adorned in jewels and gold and crowns of leaves and briars, they looked very much like a party of royals. But none of them were celebrating. Wide-eyed, and tight-lipped, they waited in silence.
Their Lady said they were coming. They had been waiting since Galadriel saw them in the water that morning. But they would keep waiting.
A son of Lothlorien was coming home.
XXX
Middle-Earth, Lothlorien. January 2000.
It was almost midnight when noise first echoed through the forest. It was a sound like thunder, a deep ‘crack’ that carried faintly on the wind. Every Elf in the vicinity stood up straighter, tensing and fingering their bows or daggers. Lady Galadriel stepped forward, walking slowly towards the small group of trees that obscured their vision. She brushed back one branch and let out a soft sigh.
In the distance, she could see quite easily due to her naturally enhanced eyesight. Her son and his mate stood together.
“Nae saian luume’.” (It has been too long) The tall Elven woman whispered, holding her hands out in front of her.
Harrison Potter grinned widely back at her. He started towards her, the woman who had taken care of him since he had escaped from Gondor, but a firm hand on his arm stopped him.
Legolas Greenleaf frowned down on the dark haired man. “You shouldn’t run in your condition.” The blond chastised, eyes straying down to Harry’s stomach.
“Legolas!” Harry hissed, blushing. “You’re going to ruin the surprise.” He turned back to his mother. The Lady of the Woods was almost in front of him when he turned back, and he took the last few steps towards her and buried himself in her welcoming arms. “Cormamin lindua ele lle.” (My heart sings to see thee)
“It has been far too long, brother.” Another tall blond Elf appeared beside them. Haldir prised Harrison from the other Elf and pulled the boy against his chest. “Oio naa elealla alasse’, Marcaunon.” (Ever is thy sight a joy, Harry) He pulled back, wide eyed and grinned. “My, my, is that what I think?” He pushed Harrison’s waist length black hair back, fingertips ghosting over the younger male’s ears. They were pointed.
“An Elf?” Galadriel breathed, reaching out to touch his ears as well. “Forever?”
Harrison pulled out the locket from under his shirt. The ‘H’ engraved on the front was as intricate as ever, but it no longer glowed. Instead it was just a dull silver; beautiful, yes, but nothing special. “Forever, Naneth, and always.” (mother) “And that is not all. Legolas and I have more news to share with you!”
“Did you defeat the Dark Lord?” Someone cried out from the crowd. Harrison chuckled lightly, but nodded.
Legolas’ arms came around his waist, his chest flush to Harrison’s back. The blond’s fingers splayed across Harry’s stomach, which was slightly swollen. The small lump, which was easily noticeable once Legolas drew their attention to it, was hard beneath his fingers. “My mate is four months with child.”
“I wanted to tell them!” Harrison muttered. “Well, fine. I get to tell your parents then!”
“An Elfling?” Haldir asked, his eyes fixed on Harrison’s stomach.
“Yallume!” (At last), Lady Galadriel exclaimed, “Legolas was the last Elfling born, and he’s gone 300-winters now.”
“You’ll have to stay!” Someone shouted.
“Oh yes, you can’t leave now!”
“The child must be born at home,” another said.
Harrison looked around at all of the people he had lived and trained with for over a year, the same people he had not seen in almost two years, and he smiled. He turned to Legolas and shrugged, leaving the decision up to his elder mate.
Legolas smiled back at him. “Of course we will stay.”
They were going to visit Mirkwood and Legolas’ father before the birth, but King Thranduil would be so happy to have an heir at last he would doubtlessly forgo missing the birthing.
XXX
Middle-Earth, Mirkwood Forest. July 2000.
Unlike Lothlorien, whose inhabitants built a castle, and unlike the Elves of Rivendell who lived in a cathedral, the Elves of Mirkwood forest built their homes in the treetops. Mirkwood had always been prone to the sight of Orcs, and the Elves took no chances with their families. It was common knowledge that Orcs did not climb trees, so they built their houses up high where no Orc could hope to reach.
The cry of a baby filled the forest.
In their tree houses, Elves frowned and looked out of windows and over balconies. It had been some time since a child cried in Mirkwood.
“Sedho, penneth,” (Quiet, little one) Harrison whispered as he gentle rocked the infant in his arms. “Whose idea was it to live up there?” He snarled, pinning an angry look on Legolas. The blond Elf merely smiled, quite used to his mate’s surging hormones, and honestly he had dealt with worse words and tones from his mate during the labour. Their Elfling was worth every cruel thing Harrison had said and more.
Harrison was finding it difficult to climb up the trees while holding a baby. Haldir and a group of guards had accompanied the family from Lothlorien to Mirkwood, but they had not sent ahead word of their visit. They had instead sent up two Elves, who had received permission to throw down a rope ladder to help the new mother up. The other guards were simply climbing up the side of the trees, without the ladder, and Legolas would have done the same except that Harrison had threatened him with celibacy.
“Whose bright idea was it to live up there, with rope ladders, and babies?”
“There are no children in Mirkwood, my love,” Legolas tried to appease his mate. He held his arms out for his son, but the second the child was away from Harrison’s chest he began to wail again.
“Well I can see why!” Harry took the baby back. “Fine. Just fine. If they attack me first, I’m going to defend myself, understand?”
“I thought we decided showing them your magic was a bad idea?” Legolas fussed, his hands moved out to touch his lover but Harry batted them back.
“Well they’re giving me no choice.” He held his son tightly and closed his eyes. While at Hogwarts he had been given magical training, and while it had come easily to him in Earthlia, in Middle-Earth his powers were as they always were. They did not rely on words necessarily, but on his emotions and needs. Right then, he needed to get to the top of that tree. The wind picked up, and took hold of Harrison’s form, raising him off of the ground. As Harrison began to float upwards, Legolas took hold of the rope ladder and began to climb, always keeping level with his mate just in case he had to reach out and catch him.
When they reached the top, Legolas was immediately pulled towards an older Elf, whose golden crown was almost the size of his head. King Thranduil looked steadily over at the dark haired Elf and then turned back to his only child.
“Vedui' Adar,” (Greetings father), Legolas said with a smile.
“Mae govannen, amin utinu.” (Well met, my son) “Who is this?” He asked, turning back to look at Harrison.
“Harrison eneth nîn, ward to Steward Faramir of Gondor, Prince of Lothlorien.” (--My name is)
“My son’s mate?” Legolas and Harrison both nodded silently. “Gîl síla na lû govaded,” (A star shines on the time of our meeting) The King reached out for Harrison’s hand, but stopped short when the bundle in the dark-haired Elf’s arms gave a cry. “And who is this?”
1“Father, this is our son, Aranhil Greenleaf, Ernil o Taur-nu-Fuin.” (Prince of Mirkwood) Legolas moved towards his mate. He placed one arm around Harrison’s waist, and the other slowly pulled the blanket away from the baby’s face.
The one-month-old child stared up at the three faces that peered down on him. Wide green eyes, just like his mother’s, watched the new person warily. A gurgle escaped his throat as his mother smiled down at him and he let out a wail as he was handed over to Thranduil.
“My grandson?” The King asked softly, his eyes softening as he reached out for the boy. The child didn’t appear to be happy with the arrangement, but Thranduil held him carefully and patiently and tried to ignore the cries. “Is he well?”
“Yes,” Legolas answered. “But I’m afraid Aranhil only really likes to be held by Harrison during the day, and myself at night. He is going to be a rather spoilt child.”
“Ah, my son, but so were you.” A blush spread over Legolas’ checks, as Harry giggled lightly. As Aranhil was laid back in Harrison’s arms, his cries ceased and a few of the more curious Elves crept forward to have a peek at Mirkwood’s newest resident. “We shall have a celebration. To welcome my Son and his mate back to their home, and to welcome my new Grandson into the world! We shall invite all of your friends, and your mate’s family. No one will ever doubt the hospitality of the Elves again!”
“Father?” Legolas said quietly, turning his face away from the majority of the guests. “Are you certain?” His father had never been someone who was fond of outsiders, or anyone who was not of their race. “Harrison was the boy who ran away from Gondor some years ago, do you remember? He has friends in the race of Men, and of Hobbits, and Dwarves! Father you must be certain. I will not have you invite his Elven friends, but not our others.”
“Our? Are they your friends as well, child?”
“Yes.” Legolas said simply, thinking of Arwen and Aragorn, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin, and Gimli, and Gandalf of course. “Yes they are.”
“Then they will be welcome here.” He took hold of Legolas’ shoulder and squeezed lightly. “Write to them, invite them here and I shall take care of the rest. We will have a celebration that will put all the celebrations of the past to shame. No one will forget this time for many generations. But as we wait for your friends to arrive,” Legolas waited silently for his father to continue. The King was staring at Harrison, the dark haired Elf cooing softly to his son. “Until your friends arrive, why don’t you show your family around their home? Your room will need airing out. It has been sometime since you slept there.”
“You wish us to stay here forever?”
“Forever is a long time, my son, and we certainly have it. For now, let us enjoy this coming festivity. And then, when I’ve gotten to know my newest family members, you may consider living away from Mirkwood for a time. As long as you always come home.”
“Always, my father.” With one last smile, Legolas strode towards his mate and pulled the younger male into a kiss. “Father is throwing us a party, and the Fellowship will be united once again.” He whispered, as they pulled apart.
Harrison reached up to caress the blond’s cheek. He smiled. “We’re always united, by friendship and loyalty and our experiences, even when we are not nearby we are close to one another.” Legolas rolled his eyes and chuckled. “But you’re right. It will be nice to see them all in person again.”
“And I’m sure they’ll be very pleased to meet our newest addition to the Fellowship.” They looked down on their son, and they both smiled.
It would be some months before all of those invited to the celebration arrived. But in the time between their arrival in Mirkwood, and the arrival of their friends, Legolas and Harrison spent much time together, or alone, or with their son, and they were happy.
For the moment they were home.
The End
1 – Aranhil, (Are-Ahn-Hill). It’s Elvish for “Regan” and means, ‘King’s Heir’, which I thought was fitting.
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Thank you to every body who read this story, reviewed, added me to alert and bookmarked. To those that read but didn’t do any of those things… Are you saying there is something wrong with my story XD